Gothic Period (1200-1400 AD)

Name the art/arch achievements of Gothic Period.

• Santa Maria in Trastevere, Rome

• Duomo, Florence

• Altarpieces, Florence

• Frescoes, Assisi

• Scrovegni Chapel, Padua

Characteristics of the Gothic Period

• political division and economic expansion

• Northern Italy dominated by independent and wealthy city-states

• Papacy becomes significant international force

• 1309: Papal court moves to Avignon

• Rome produces little to no art/arch for most of the 14th century

Santa Maria in Trastevere (“across the Tiber”), Rome (1130-1143 AD)

• Christian house-church

• 1st dedicated to Mary in Rome

• 3rd century = Pope Calixtus

• 12th century = rebuilt under Pope Innocent II

• no transept

• apse mosaics

Apse Mosaics of Santa Maria in Trastevere (1291-1300 AD)

• Four from life of Mary:

  • The Nativity of Mary

  • The Annunciation

  • The Presentation at the Temple

  • The Dormition of the Virgin

• artist: Pietro Cavallini

• patron: Bertoldo Stefaneschi

NATIVITY OF MARY

gold background

shading and super tiny tesarae

ANNUNCIATION

scepter of Gabriel

still wears toga

Mary has little emotion

architecture is detailed but perspective is off

shading

plant with 3 flowers = trinity

image of God the Father in human form (not just a hand)

NATIVITY OF CHRIST

in a cave (Byzantine tradition)

taverna meritoria - building that the original church was founded on

Joseph looks like a pensive philosopher

ADORATION OF THE MAGI

young, middle aged, old

classic pose and dress of Joseph

PRESENTATION AT THE TEMPLE

2 doves

gaze between Jesus and Simeon (emotion)

3D is trying to happen in architectural background

DORMITION OF THE VIRGIN

Mandola

Mary’s soul is a baby in Christ’s arms

dormition

term used in the Eastern Church, literally the “falling asleep” (death) of Mary the Theotokos and her being taken up into heaven

mandorla

an almond-shaped nimbus surrounding the figure of Christ or another sacred figure (extra holiness)

The Duomo, Florence (1296 into 14th century)

• Baptistry is Romanesque

• plan by Amolfo di Cambio

  • tall nave

  • rib vaults

duomo

cathedral in Italian

rib vault

“key” to Gothic arch; a vault in which the diagonal transverse ribs compose a structural skeleton that partially supports the masonry web between them

altarpiece

a panel, painted or sculpted, situated above and behind an altar

Altarpiece Virgin and Child Enthroned, Florence (1280)

• artist: Cimabue

• Church of Santa Trinità

• tempera and gold on wood panel

• attempt at perspective

• a lot of Byzantine style

Altarpiece Virgin and Child Enthroned, Florence (1310)

• artist: Giotto

• much more realistic

• retains some Byzantine dimensions but style moves toward Renaissance

• Mary’s head is straight and looks at viewer: humanizing Mary

• tempera and gold on wood panel

Basilica of Saint Francis, Assisi (1228-1236 AD)

• lower and upper basilica

  • lower basilica - CIMABUE, dry frescoes

  • upper basilica - GIOTTO, true fresco by using giornatta technique

Cimabue Fresco, Maestà with Saint Francis, Basilica (LOWER) of St. Francis (1280 AD)

• dry fresco

• compare with his altarpiece earlier for style development

• Mary on wooden throne

Giotto Fresco, Francis Renounces His Inheritance, Basilica (UPPER) of St. Francis (1295-1301 or 1330)

• true fresco (giornatta)

• upper basilica

• some of his landscapes are very realistic

• perspective returning after 1000 years

• emotion and action

  • Francis’ dad is ready to punch him

  • Children are ready to throw stones

• Radical change made by Francis is reflected in the radical change of art by Giotto that points towards the Renaissance

Scrovegni (Arena) Chapel 1305-1306, Padova

GIOTTO’S MASTERPIECE

• Patron: Enrico Scrovegni built it in the hope of saving his soul

• Was attached to a palace at one point

• 30 scenes by Giotto

  • 3 horizontal layers

  • true frescoes

  • 1st full figure God the Father

LAMENTATION (GIOTTO, EXAMPLE FROM SCROVEGNI CHAPEL)

• mountain leads eye down to focal point = Christ

• emotion, mourning, human suffering

• even angels are lamenting

• dead tree

• Giotto starts to make a name for artists in Art History!

dry fresco

pigment added to dry fresco - easier but more risky because the paint could chip off 

giornata (pl. giornate)

section of plaster that a fresco painter expects to complete in 1 session